- EE offered free Power Bar chargers to customers

- Those Power Bars have now been recalled

- Some of the chargers are exploding and catching fire

If you own an EE Power Bar, you should immediately check its model number, because EE has recalled 500,000 units that could explode and catch fire.

EE announced a free portable charger scheme at the beginning of April and said it would available to all of its network and broadband customers. Called the EE Power incentive, it offered a free portable Power Bar charger to EE customers, which could be swapped for a new full one in-store when depleted.

EE ran a similar promotion at Glastonbury last year, and many had assumed both schemes were big successes. But now it looks like things have taken a turn for the worse. EE has recalled the portable charger it gave away after learning about a medical student who was severely burned while using one.

What is the EE Power Bar?

The EE Power Bar has a 2,600mAh capacity, built-in LED torch, lasts 500 charges, and takes 4-hours to charge back to full. It was free to EE customers who were on a 30-day, 12-, 18- or 24-month mobile or broadband contract or to Pay-As You-Go customers who have been with EE for at least three months.

How did the EE Power Bar burn a student?

According to the BBC, Katy Emslie, from Aberdeen, suffered severe burns after her charger exploded and set fire.

How many EE Power Bars have been recalled?

There have been five confirmed incidents where Power Bars have overheated, and so EE has announced it is recalling one batch of 500,000 units.

Has your EE Power Bar been recalled?

EE has recalled batch E1-06 of Power Bars. You'll know if your Power Bar was part of this batch if you can see "Model:E1-06" written on the side (see image above). If so, it could pose a fire safety risk.

How do you return your EE Power Bar?

EE is requesting customers to stop using their Power Bars and return them to a local store, and then they will be issued a replacement Power Bar once EE has "concluded" investigations. EE has temporarily suspended its swap program until the recall process is complete and restocked. You can find your local EE store here.